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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23361073">Boundaries</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hadithi/pseuds/Hadithi'>Hadithi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Steven Universe (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:02:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,546</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23361073</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hadithi/pseuds/Hadithi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Steven gets a condo, and gets support in setting boundaries with his family.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steven Universe &amp; Connie Maheswaran</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>374</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Boundaries</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Idea from the absolutely wonderful <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/EchoFour/pseuds/EchoFour">EchoFour</a>.</p><p>Thank you for helping me set up my own boundaries. I never could have done it without you. You really are my Connie.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Steven Universe finally had a house all his own.</p><p>Well, a condo. But it was a pretty big condo considering how close it was to downtown Saint Francis. He was glad for all the rent control and public housing, or even his dad’s massive pile of wealth couldn’t have landed him a spot there. But his cozy one bedroom would be right in the thick of things, surrounded by humanity and culture, and it was a good place to spend a little more time being him.</p><p>He was almost finished setting it up, and once he did he’d give the gems a call like he promised, and they could come over. He could probably call them later that night, he bet. He’d have everything ready to go.</p><p>Pearl would probably think it was too messy, though.</p><p>The thought struck him and he paused, looking around the kitchen. There were dishes in the washing machine. He was going to let it fill up before he ran it, but that took a few days with only him in the house - even with all the cooking he did. Pearl would hate that. She’d want everything scrubbed clean right away. Same with the lazy way he’d left the coffee bag sitting next to the machine instead of tucked away in a cabinet.</p><p>Amethyst would probably roll her eyes at his fridge. Basically nothing but essentials. He wanted to go grocery shopping each day - get out of the house, see people, pushing himself to try new recipes. Amethyst hated not having food in the fridge. She was never interested in his following a recipe when motor oil was always an exciting addition to any meal.</p><p>Garnet wouldn’t be too keen on all the business and clutter. Band and movie posters covered his walls already. His desk was clustered in one corner of the living space, a couch and TV in another, and the rest of the floor left open to whatever he wanted to do with it. He didn’t have a plan for the rest of the condo, yet. Garnet would have a plan. She’d hate that he didn’t know what to do.</p><p> His phone buzzed in his pocket and his hands fumbled as he quickly got it out. Maybe it’d be Connie, telling him she was going to be late for lunch. Or it could be Lapis texting him a picture of her latest meep morp, those were always great. It could be Shia, a new friend he’d started making as they kept hitting up all the same indie shows.</p><p>But it was Pearl. <em> When are you going to let us see your new apartment? It’s been too long! </em></p><p>He set his phone next to the sink and bent over it with a groan, his heart picking up speed in his chest. Stars, he was suddenly nauseous. Why was he sick? So what if Pearl and Amethyst and Garnet weren’t going to like his place and they were going to come in and criticize and leave and he’d be left with this awful feeling in the place he loved and every time, every time he had something nice they found a way to <em> ruin </em> it.</p><p>Steven groaned, running his hands through his hair because it was <em> fine </em> but it <em> wasn’t </em> because they were going to come in and try their best and do everything wrong and they’d snoop through his stuff and he had private things in his bedroom and he didn’t want to <em> talk </em> to them about it and that was <em> his right if he didn’t </em> but they were gonna look through his stuff and he finally had a door he <em> finally had a do- </em></p><p>“Okay,” he panted. “You’re spiraling. Stop it.”</p><p>He grabbed his phone, fingers trembling as he dialed the number and held it to his ear as it rang. Nerves buzzed at his scalp, but it was fine. This was safe. It was just a quick phone call to get himself stable. A sweet voice said his name, and he responded, “Hey, Connie. Do you remember the talk we had? A-about how my therapist said I need to be establishing boundaries?”</p><p>“Early lunch?” she said quickly. “I can be there in a flash. Lion’s… Baby boy, what are you <em> doing </em>? He’s here but he’s pawing at my minifridge.”</p><p>He smiled a little. “Tell him I’ve got Lion Lickers.”</p><p>There was a little shriek of surprise, a horrible sound of static and feedback through his phone, and the empty space in his condo was suddenly filled with Lion, spitting Connie out from his jaws before strolling over to him. His haunches hit the floor with a thump as he stared up at Steven, a weak little croon as his eyes went big and round.</p><p>“Hey, bud,” he murmured, giving his chin a scratch before turning to the freezer. “So, it’s really stupid, but I kind of don’t want the gems in my condo right now. I probably shouldn’t have called you. Saying it out loud feels so stupid.”</p><p>Connie sighed as she came to the breakfast bar, hopping up on one of the stools. “I mean, what’d your therapist say? It feels stupid because…” She frowned, nose wrinkling as she tried to remember. “Because they make every little thing into a big thing. It shouldn’t be a big deal to have them come see your stuff, but they’re gonna make it a big deal. That’s not <em> your </em> fault. That’s <em> their </em>fault.”</p><p>As she spoke, he tossed Lion an ice cream and watched as he growled and shook his head. He carefully slipped around the beast, hopping up on a stool besides Connie with a sigh of his own. “Dr. Morris said that laying down boundaries would be the hardest thing for me. He said that if I could have moral support while I did it, that’d be the right thing to do. But it feels like I’m wasting your time bringing you here so you can watch me write a text.”</p><p>She leaned her head gently on his shoulder. “A text to someone who hurt you.”</p><p>“They didn’t mean it,” he whispered.</p><p>“Still hurt,” she responded - a now familiar refrain. “Wanna show me what she said?”</p><p>“Yeah.” His phone, still in his hand from their call, passed to hers with the text open.</p><p>Connie’s brows wrinkled together, and her voice had that slight edge to it that, after years together, he was finally starting to realize was a sign of her restrained temper. “It’s not an apartment. It’s a condominium.”</p><p>“She doesn’t really get it,” Steven defended. “The gems don’t live like we do.”</p><p>“It’s <em> your life </em> ,” she said, and there it was - the pause, the deep breath. He watched as Connie took a rage he’d barely consider rage at all and tucked it back down to diplomacy for him. “She was your guardian for years. She loves you. The least she can do is pay attention when you talk and remember what words you use. She <em> should </em> do some research so she can understand what’s going on in your life if she cares so much, but-”</p><p>He grinned as she cut herself off. “Go ahead. I’m not going to tell.”</p><p>She looked up at him, scowling. “But let’s not expect any miracles. They barely managed the basics of empathy. I don’t think we can expect them to take initiative any time soon. It’s not like they ever have before.”</p><p>Steven scratched her head softly. “I like it when you get mad. Makes me feel less alone.”</p><p>“I’m always mad,” she mumbled, leaning into his touch.</p><p>He looked down at the phone and typed with one thumb, reading out loud once he had finished, “I don’t think the condo is ready for you guys yet. I’ll visit soon and tell you all about it, though.” He held it up. “What do you think?”</p><p>“I don’t think <em> I’m </em> ready for you to see the condo yet,” Connie said.</p><p>“It feels mean.”</p><p>“It’s a boundary.” Her thumb swept softly over the back of his hand. “As mad as I am, she’ll respect it, Steven. They hurt you, but it was out of ignorance, self-centeredness. It wasn’t selfishness. It wasn’t hate. They love you and they listen when you lay down the law, Steven. You deserve privacy and safety in your own home. Pearl’s going to respect that.”</p><p>His hands trembled as he made the change, as he hit send. Connie’s arms wrapped around his waist, whispering a few sweet words of praise. Steven’s breaths came hard as he beat back anxiety and self-hating thoughts, guilt and pain. His whole body buzzed, braced for a fight that he was sure was coming, was sure would be another heartbreak.</p><p>The phone buzzed.</p><p>
  <em> Whatever you need, Steven. We love you. </em>
</p><p>A little sob came from his throat, and he couldn’t tell if it was happy or sad. Lion pushed his way into his arms, and Connie clung to him, and in his own home he was surrounded with love and warmth and support. He had set down a shield between himself and the people he loved, and for once it hadn’t been met with violence or anger.</p><p>A bubble could be a good thing, as long as he wasn't in it alone.</p>
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